Keep Holding On
by and-apparently-clowns-kill
Summary: Legolas is not having a good day. He and Aragorn are attacked by a band of Orc's on their way back from a hunt. Rated T for violence against Elves.


The ambush had been well thought out and certainly well positioned. Ten Orc's stationed at the front, to send the pray back towards the other two waiting groups. The only thing they hadn't counted on was their quarry being so well versed in blade and bow.

Aragorn had been pleasantly surprised that nothing had gone wrong with this hunt, it seemed every time he and Legolas went out, something went wrong, sending one or both back to Rivendell injured. But this time, everything went as planed.

Aragorn was on edge, the woodland was as peaceful as ever, but they were still not back home yet, and knowing their luck, they would be meters from the great gates of Rivendell and Orc's would attack from all sides, surrounding both friends, cutting them down where they stood.

"Always the pessimist." Legolas grinned.

"And just _how_ do you know what I'm thinking?" Aragorn asked with false annoyance, "Can you read minds now?"

"No, you're easer to read then a book." Legolas' grin widened.

Their banter went on for another few minutes before Legolas stopped, looking up into the trees as they called out direr warning to the young prince. Aragorn looked questioningly at Legolas.

"Orc's." the elven prince said simply.

"Where?" Aragorn raised his sword as he studied the surrounding woodland.

Legolas waited, listening to the whispering trees, "All around up, we walked into an ambush." Legolas was disgusted with himself, amateurs and children fell into traps, not newly crowned princes. Drawing an arrow he raised his bow.

Standing back to back, Legolas and Aragorn waited for their would-be killers to attack.

They didn't have long to wait as Orc's soon swarmed from behind the cover of trees and shrubs and began the attack.

Legolas dispatched three with deadly accuracy. Bow in hand, blades at his side, waiting for the others.

Aragorn rushed forward, taking down two in the first few seconds, killing another soon after. Blade swinging through the air, dealing out death to all in its way.

The battle was over quickly, easily won. Blood seeped into the ground, bodies left as Aragorn stood and looked around for his friend.

Legolas glanced up and smiled reassuringly at the young man. They were both unharmed.

Suddenly, Aragorn spun, staring intently in the opposite direction from the attack.

Aragorn waited silently, listening for the sound he'd heard before.

"What is it?" Legolas asked quietly.

"Don't know, asked the trees." Aragorn was only half joking.

Legolas opened his ears and heart, letting the trees speak. "There are more coming." He told Aragorn, "ten more, half south east, the others, south west."

Aragorn nodded and positioned himself to intercept the new intruders.

These Orc's were not as subtle as the first wave of attack, as they burst through the tree line and into sight, two fell as arrows lodged themselves in the Orc's chest's.

Pulling out his blade, Legolas dodged past his first attacker, passing under the swinging blade.

A sharp elven blade to the Orc's side as Legolas passed had the creature screaming in agony as he fell to the ground.

Legolas parried his second attacker's first blow with the precision of a true warrior. Striking out with his boot, Legolas caught the Orc in the stomach. Sending the creature crashing to the ground, only to find a knife wedged in his heart a second later.

Legolas turned sharply at a sudden warning from the trees. Standing, he came face to face with the last Orc. Legolas knew this one would be more of a challenge.

A seasoned fighter this Orc was not, but he had been given some kind of training that was certain. His stance and the way he held his blade were different from the normal Orc fighting style of 'run in, don't think, kill then die.'

Legolas summed the Orc up quickly. A reasonably well trained killer, but Legolas was better. And both Elf and Orc knew it.

Legolas raised his knife to block the first blow, stunning the Orc momentarily with a sharp kick to the kidney.

What the Elf failed to see was a knife extending from the tip to the Orc's boot. It remained unnoticed until too late.

Legolas stifled a pained cry as the Orc's knife cut deeply into his right thigh. The Orc sneered and pulled the blade out, finally ripping the cry from the elf's lips.

Aragon turned sharply at his friends pained outburst. As he watched, Legolas fell to his knees, pain creasing his brow as he swung and struck the Orc in the stomach with his Elven blades.

The Orc bellowed and fell, clutching his stomach as blood seeped between his fingers.

Legolas pressed a hand to his leg and stood again, pain flittering across his face as torn muscles moved. Looking down at the Orc as it withered in pain, he felt no guilt at killing it, no remorce. But he killed it quickly with one blow to its head, severing it instantly. No creature should be made to suffer like that.

Aragorn cut down the last two Orc's as he raced to Legolas' side. "_Mellon nin_ (_My friend_)? Are you alright?" Legolas nodded slowly.

"You sure?" Aragorn asked, helping Legolas to sit back on the ground as he checked over the young elf.

He ripped Legolas' leggings away from the bleeding wound. Legolas groaned as the clothing pulled at the edge of the wound.

Aragorn stopped instantly and looked worriedly as Legolas, "What is it?"

Legolas gave Aragorn a weak but reassuring smile, "I'm…fine."

"Sure you are, and I'm an Orc." Aragorn returned as he bound the wound.

"Would…explain…the smell…" Legolas whispered.

Aragorn looked up, worried with his friend's weak voice. "_Mellon nin_?"

Legolas' face paled, his forehead beaded with sweat, "Aragorn…that blade…I think…I think it…was poisoned…"

Aragorn took off the bandages and saw the wound blackening a sure sign of Orc poison.

Aragorn whispered a curse in elvish and moved to his bag of herbs. Pulling out herbs used to slow the poison.

"Legolas, I need you to chew on this, it'll slow the poison. I don't have the antidote with me."

Legolas nodded and took the offered herb. As Legolas slowly chewed the herb, Aragorn was determining the distance back to Rivendell.

Legolas swallowed the last of the herb and shakily stood, holding himself up with a hand on a tree, listening to the sweet song as he tried to conceal the pain "We…need to…leave."

Aragorn reluctantly nodded, knowing more Orc's would arrive soon. Aragorn pulled Legolas' arm over his shoulder and rapped his own arm around the elf's slight waist. Aragorn's brow furrowed slightly as Legolas put up no resistance towards his help.

They were hours away from Rivendell and Aragorn knew Legolas' wound and the poison now coursing through his veins would slow them down.

They made steady progress but Legolas slowly tired, dragging his feet along the ground, leaving prints even a child could track. His breath came in ragged and labored burst. They were five kilometers Rivendell when Legolas' knees gave out and he fell to the leaf strewn ground.

Aragorn pulled at Legolas' arm in a desperate attempt to rouse the exhausted elf prince, "come on, we're almost home" he begged.

A sound to the south had Aragorn looking up, cocking his head as he listened. He recognized the sound of Elven horses in the distance. Aragorn jumped up, reluctant to leave Legolas' side, he called out to the elves, silently praying they would hear.

The horses changed direction, coming towards him and his fallen friend.

Aragorn's face broke out in a smile as Elladan and Elrohir arrived on grey horses.

"_Estel_! (_Aragorn's Elven name, meaning 'Hope_)" Elladan called, jumping off his horse, landing gracefully at his youngest brother's side, "What happened?"

The twins knelt beside Legolas. Elrohir touched the fallen elf's brow, pulling back sharply at the heat radiating off the young prince.

Aragorn turned to Elladan, "An Orc stabbed him in the thigh with a poisoned blade."

The twins glanced at each other, a look of fear passed between them as Aragorn rose to his feet.

"We need to get him to _Adar_ (Father)." The twins nodded and helped Aragorn to lift the wounded elf onto Elladan's horse.

"_Noro avorn_ (Ride fast)." Aragorn whispered as he leapt on Elrohir's mare.

Aragorn sat behind Elrohir as the horse raced through the woods behind his brother and friend. He gripped Elrohir's waist tightly, fear for his wounded friend playing at the edge of his mind.

"Please be alright." Aragorn whispered as they passed under the arch at the gate of Rivendell.

Elladan slipped from his horse, the pale, unconscious elf held tightly against his chest. "_Adar_! _Adar_!" he called, knowing his father would be waiting nearby for his son's safe return.

Legolas groaned at the loud noise, his head throbbed. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. Hands touched him, moving him from the comforting arms of his friend and onto a soft bed. Legolas could hear voices, sense people moving around him. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, he knew it was Aragorn. He could almost see the guilty look in his best friend's eyes. He tried to move, desperate to reassure the young human, tell him there was no blame on his shoulders. But fatigue took hold, pulling him further into darkness where no sound reached.

The next time Legolas reluctantly rose from the protective darkness, his mind was engulfed by pain. A moan escaped his lips before he could stop it.

A sudden movement to his right and a warm hand grasped his tightly.

"Legolas? Are you alright?" Aragorn's voice filled with worry.

A second voice joined in Aragorn's, "_Penneth_ (Young one)? I need you to open your eyes."

After two failed attempts, Legolas opened his eyes, blurred faces stared back. Legolas' eyes slid closed again.

"Legolas, you need to stay awake." Elrond said, reaching down and stroking the young elf's blond hair.

The newly crowned prince of Mirkwood groaned, turning into the soft touch. His eyes fluttered open, staring tiredly at Elrond.

Smiling Elrond asked, "How are you feeling _Penneth_."

"Tired." Legolas croaked, his throat burnt as he spoke.

Aragorn leant over, pressing a glass of water lightly against Legolas' parched lips. Legolas drank deeply, downing the glass in seconds.

"Thank you." Legolas whispered, his voice slowly growing stronger.

Aragorn nodded, his smile faltering at the poorly concealed pain in the elf's eyes.

Legolas watched as the smile on his friends face fall, becoming a guilty grimace. Legolas sighed, this would take a while.

Legolas' eyes dropped slightly, he poison had taken a toll on his body, sapping it of energy, leaving him exhausted.

Elrond knew of his son's guilty heart, he stood quietly, leaving with only a fleeting glance at Legolas. The young prince returned the look with a small nod of understanding. The elder elf smiled and left, closing the door silently behind him.

Legolas looked sternly at Aragorn who refused to look him in the eye. Legolas sighed quietly, "Aragorn, none of this is your fault."

Aragorn looked back at the bed ridden elf, taking in his pale colour, the slight pink tinge to his cheeks paid homage to his recent fever. He shook his head disbelievingly. "If only I had been quicker…"

"The Orc would have got you instead." Legolas argued, "There was nothing you could have done." Legolas shook Aragorn slightly, his hand resting on Aragorn's slumped shoulders.

"I know…" Aragorn sighed, eyes down cast, "I know."

Legolas knew there was nothing he could say to his distraught friend, no words of comfort could penetrate the shield Aragorn had erected around his heart.

The elf prince's eyes slid closed against his will. "Sleep," he heard Aragorn whisper as Legolas was pulled once more into darkness.

It was another three days before Elrond would allow Legolas to leave the confines of his bed. The morning dawned bright as Legolas debated with the elder elf.

"I can't even feel the wound anymore." Legolas whined. He knew he was acting like a child, but he'd been cooped up too long to care.

Elrond sighed, knowing he couldn't win, "Fine, but only if Aragorn accompanies you the **entire** time."

A small smile graced Legolas' lips for the first time since the incident. "Of course. Will you find him?"

Elrond nodded. As the door closed silently behind him, the elder elf allowed a smile to cross his face before being quickly hidden, replaced by the stoic face of a lord as he left to find his son.

Legolas sat up in bed in the healers ward, waiting anxiously for his best friend. As the minute passed and he didn't come, Legolas grew more fearful, resorting to praying to the Valar that his friend would not reject him through some misplaced guilty feelings.

As Legolas began to give up hope, the door handle turned slowly, the door sliding open to reveal a anxious looking Aragorn. The young man walked towards Legolas, refusing to look the elf in the eye. Aragorn held out a hand and Legolas grasped the mans wrist.

Legolas couldn't help the small groan as he placed weight on his leg. The poison had refused to let the wound heal, bringing infection and blood loss as the blood couldn't clot.

Aragorn looked up, worry tinting his eyes at the pain evident in Legolas' creased brow. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine." Legolas said with a pained smile.

Aragorn glanced at the elf still rapped protectively in his arms. The pain from standing had been replaced by a grateful smile. "Thanks for the hand up, but, can you let go?"

Aragorn's hands pulled back as if burnt, the sudden unsure look in Aragorn's eyes turned Legolas' stomach.

They walked together out into the courtyard. The trees began singing as Legolas stepped out onto the soft grass.

"Where do you want to go?" Aragorn asked, again refusing to look the elf in the eye.

Legolas sighed, "How about the river?" purposefully choosing the most tranquil and open area of the garden.

They arrived after only a few minutes walking. As they stood on the banks of the river, Legolas leaning heavily on Aragorn, staring out across the open water and on to the woods beyond. Legolas sank to the ground, pulling Aragorn with him. The sudden stop caused a spasm of pain crawling up his leg, causing a slight wince. Schooling his features, he said, "We need to talk."

Aragorn looked guilty at Legolas, knowing he was in for it, "Can we not?"

"Estel…" Legolas warned. "None of this is your fault."

"But…"

"NO!" Legolas shouted, standing suddenly. "This is in no way your fault." Legolas swayed slightly, pain racing up his leg. Aragorn stood and steadied his friend.

Legolas' breath became slowly ragged as pain radiated up his leg.

"Would you not have done the same for me?" Legolas asked quietly.

"Of course!" Aragorn said without hesitation.

"And would you allow me to feel guilty?"

"No, I guess I wouldn't." Aragorn whispered, finally understanding where the young elf was going with his questioning.

"Then why are you guilty?" Legolas asked.

Aragorn lowered his eyes, finally understanding.

Legolas' legs gave out and would have landed hard on his injured leg had Aragorn not caught him.

Aragorn stifled a gasp, "We need to get you back to Adar. You're burning up."

Legolas' fever glazed eyes looked up at the young man.

"Sorry." the elf prince muttered as Aragorn assisted him back to his room.

"Anytime my friend, anytime."

Elrond reprimanded Legolas for pushing himself to hard, until he felt the heart from the young elf and helped rush him to the healing ward.

Legolas slept for the rest of the day. Aragorn stayed with his friend the entire time, never leaving the elf's side.

Legolas woke the next morning, still tired he almost fell back asleep but a jerking movement at his side fOrced him further from sleep.

"Legolas?" Aragorn's sleep laced voice asked quietly.

"How are you, Estel?" Legolas asked, his voice cracking from under use.

Aragorn sighed at his friend's stubbornness; "It is I who should be asking you that question." he smiled slightly.

Legolas returned the smile, albeit weakly, "Tired, but alright. What happened?"

"You almost passed out, the poison was more resilient than Adar and I first thought. It spiked again and gave you a high fever. It broke late last night, you've slept since then."

Legolas nodded dumbly as his friend explained the previous night's events.

"So…how are you feeling?" Aragorn asked.

"Fine," at Aragorn's stern look, Legolas added, "I will be."

A small smile graced Aragorn's face, "Of course you will. Aren't you always?"

Legolas returned the smile with a strength he didn't have.

"Sleep, I'll be here when you wake." Aragorn promised.

Legolas' eyes dropped to half mast clouded as he fell into a dreamless sleep. Aragon thankful that his friend's eyes were open as he slept.

Things were getting better, Legolas was on the mend and Aragorn's guilt had faded when Legolas had woken.

Still smiling, Aragorn sat back, resting against the hard backed chair, thankful that his friend would recover.

**A/N: The ending of all my stories seems to be WAY to happy.**

**Note to self: MORE anguish at the end!!!**

**Any who, hope you liked it. As always reviews are appreciated and helpful.**

**Thanks for reading!!**


End file.
